Naxalite attack;Opposition stages noisy walk out in Orissa Assembly

Published: Monday, February 18, 2008, 21:03 [IST]

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Bhubaneswar,Feb 18 (UNI) The entire Opposition in Orissa Assembly today staged a noisy walkout after Speaker Maheswar Mohanty refused to concede their demand for a special debate on the naxal issue in the House.

The House witnessed uproarious scenes as treasury bench members and Opposition argued and counter-argued on whether the Assembly could hold debate on the ongoing operation against the Naxalites in the interest of the state.

While the Treasury bench members vehemently opposed any debate on the Naxal attack saying it would demoralise the police forces currently engaged in the combing operation, the Opposition insisted that the issue being very important should be taken up.

Speaker Maheswar Mohanty, however, shared his concern with the treasury bench members and said he also personally felt that any discussion on the naxal issue at this juncture would hamper the operation.

Mr Mohanty said a 'war-like' situation was prevailing in the state following the encounter with the naxalites, adding that the Chief Minister would be asked to inform the House daily about the prevailing situation.

The Opposition Congress who were shouting slogan demanding a discussion on the Naxalite issue, took exception to the Speaker's remark and demanded that in that event the House be adjourned indefinitely.

Leader of Opposition J B Pattnaik told the Speaker that the Opposition had been pressing for a discussion on the naxal problem, '' but you want to run the House in a most undemocratical manner by rejecting the demand''.

As a protest the Opposition would walk out of the House, he stated. Soon after the all the Opposition members staged a noisy walkout shouting slogan against the government for denying them the scope to discuss the naxal issue.